Musings of a Catholic Convert

I had a great time on EWTN as a guest on The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi.  I've always enjoyed public speaking, and having the opportunity to work with Marcus was a treat for me.  Hanging out at EWTN was a lot of fun too.  This was the first time I had been able to speak with Fr. Mitch Pacwa also.  Let me tell you all something.  Mother Angelica has top notch people working with her in ministry with EWTN.  Amazing men and women all over that place.  

Thanks to everybody for the prayers and well wishes.  I think everything went well and I had the opportunity to talk with members of the studio audience after the program.  I had a lot of fun, and I'd be happy to do it again anytime. 

I've been on vacation all week.  Did you notice?  Did any of you bother to write me out of concern for my absence?  

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

I'm just messing with ya.  Vacation has been enjoyable.  The only downside is the long drive.  Oh, we went to San Antonio, Tejas.  Loads of things to do down there.  Maybe - if you're very good - I'll post some pictures later.

Okay, I'm going to bed.  All this driving has drained me.  I just wanted to put to rest all those horrible email forwards about my demise.

False - Andy McNutt died from eating Pop Rocks and Coke

False - Andy McNutt died while fighting in Vietnam

False - Andy McNutt is Marilyn Manson

True - Andy McNutt is a bit "off" sometimes

False - Andy McNutt once built a barn entirely of Popsicle sticks 

Pending Verification - Andy McNutt is made entirely of Popsicle sticks. 

I love good food.  I love grilled or roasted food.  I love good grilled food that is grilled good.  Mmmmm.  So last night we had dinner with the RCIA team, candidates, and all their respective families.  We gathered to look at the traditional Seder meal that our Jewish friends celebrate each year.  Now, our meal was not an actual Seder, but we did take time to look at the elements of the Seder and their significance both with regard to Passover, and with regard to the Christian life.  

I would very much like one of these days to be invited to a real live Seder.  It would be good to hear from the source what the Seder means and the role Passover plays in their life of faith.  Maybe one day this will happen. 

For now, this was our dinner.  And you know what?  I didn't spaz out.  My kids were their normal young selves, but I didn't get agitated with their antics.  I did not sit nervously waiting on it to be over so I could escort them to the car feeling embarrassed at their behavior.  I enjoyed my dinner, and I watched them enjoy theirs.  Did they stay in their seats the whole time?  Nope.  Did they attempt to throw food?  Oh, yes.  But I did good.  Hooray for Andy this time.  Not being nervous was HUGE!  I can control my temper almost always.  There are only a couple of people in this world who can push my buttons.  But I get nervous with my children in public.  Last night though, no nervous.  No, I was not high.  I was able to keep it together, and I'm pretty happy about that.  

Now, let's see if I can keep that streak going.  We're leaving for a brief vacation tonight.  Let the test begin. 

One more thing:  Murray, you are the GRILL MASTER!  Hats off to you, good man!!!!   !!!!!!!!

The best way to treat ingrown nails is to not get them in the first place.  If I've read it once, I've read it a thousand times, CUT YOUR NAILS STRAIGHT ACROSS!  Now have I EVER listened to that advice?  Yes and no. 

I got this monster ingrown nail about 10 years ago.  It got so bad that I was afraid it would get infected and kill me, so I reluctantly went to see a doctor.  I hate going to the doctor.  He looked at it and said, "Ughhh!"  Then he asked, "Do you cut your nails straight across?"  After getting a million shots in my big toe and watching him DIG TOENAIL out of my foot for what seemed like hours, I was thinking that the straight across method would be a good thing to do. 

Did I follow his advice?  Yup.  Well, most of the time.  Every now and then I have performed the old "home surgery" of cutting a nail out that is digging into the sides a bit.  Who wants to go to the doctor for something easy like that, right?  So I had such a situation a few weeks ago.  I cut and when I was pulling the ingrown part out, the nail broke so everything did not come out.  I couldn't get at the rest without digging into my toe so I had to leave it alone.

I let it grow and I didn't mess with it that much.  I looked to make sure it wasn't getting red and puffy or that stuff wasn't coming out.  I bathed it in peroxide every night to keep stuff out.  Ooooh it was sore for days and I could feel in my toe where it the nail grew under the skin.   After a nice long time I could not take the pain anymore, so I put on my scrubs and went into surgery mode.

Let me tell you something, brother.  I got it all out in one cut and pull.  That dude was HUGE!  I should have taken a picture to show you the crooked growing mess that was dwelling under my toe surface.  It looked like a giant shark tooth that was pulled out at the root.  Maybe it WAS a shark tooth.  I don't know.  I just know that the thing was out.  What followed?  Instant relief.  No more pain, no more crooked nail. I felt like a million bucks after I extracted that monster.

And you better believe that I am cutting ALL my nails straight across now.

Completing a manuscript is no easy feat.  It's nothing you can just whip out in a few minutes, days, or weeks.  Writing is every bit as much a discipline as it is a charism and/or skill.  I don't have the charism of writing (at least I doubt very seriously that I do, else I would have WAY more readers commenting), but I feel compelled to write.  Right now, the most compelling thing for writing is my story.  I want to put it all to paper before the little details slip from my mind.  I want to be able to look back not just on "the big stuff" of critical moments and crises of faith, but I want to see the whole story in all its detail.  Once that is done, I want to condense it into a handy book and get it published.  

Anyway, that was my thought for the day.  Writing can be frustrating.  

If you have a charism for writing, please join this catholic blogging community.  You can teach me.

I spoke with Jim Anderson at the Coming Home Network this afternoon.  We've put a new date on the Calendar.  Schedule your parties for Monday, April 14 at 8pm Eastern.  Barring anything unusual happening, I'll be back in Birmingham for another go at The Journey Home on EWTN.  

I've updated the countdown timer to the right so you won't forget.  

You should also know, should you ever venture to the Birmingham area, that Tavern on the Summit is a great place to eat.  Very friendly and attentive staff and reasonably priced entrees.  Not too hard to find either.  Just off the beltway and less than 10 minutes from Irondale and the EWTN studios.  It looks like there were some really neat stores as well, but we wanted to head home. 

Morning, everybody.  My appearance tonight on "The Journey Home" with Marcus Grodi on EWTN has been cancelled.  I received the call last night from Jim Anderson of the Coming Home Network, that Marcus was ill and would not be able to make the taping today.  He also said that I would be rescheduled sometime soon.  Check back here for updates.  As soon as I'm rescheduled, you'll see the new information here.

Thanks for your prayers.  Pray now for Marcus that he'll get better soon.  

The trip wasn't a total waste (yes-I was already in Birmingham when I learned of the cancellation).  I had my good friend Larry with me to keep me awake and share good conversation.   

Back to work I go.

Oh, sorry that you all had to cancel your "Andy on EWTN" parties.  Just take the banners and streamers down and save them for the next time.   

I am scheduled to appear on television Monday.

I'll be Marcus Grodi's guest on EWTN's "The Journey Home" television program.

The Journey Home airs on Monday's at 7pm Central on EWTN.

Since I got my invitation, people have been telling me that they are going to watch me and that they will be praying for me.  Well, folks, I'm calling in those favors.  I want your prayers.  Why?  Not just because of my nerves, but because of what I feel is riding on this show appearance.  You see, I've been wanting to be on Marcus' show for a while because I feel that the way God has dealt with me over the past 15 years has a message for cradle Catholics, Catholic converts, and even non-Catholics, whether they are exploring the Church or not.  I have seen such a HUGE spiritual change in my life that I want others to know THIS IS POSSIBLE.  It's not psychological, it's not triumphalism, it's not emotional, it's not anything people might seek to use as a label to "excuse away" what has happened TO me and IN me.  The answer is one word - Grace.  Grace, not just a concept of kindness or mercy, but ACTUAL supernatural grace has changed EVERYTHING.  I'll never be the same again.  

How will I convey that to the global audience watching EWTN?  I've been wrestling with this for weeks, trying to shorten my testimony to fit in the allotted time and agonizing over which details have to be left out.  Many of you have read my story before, and many of you have heard portions of my testimony in the various talks and sessions I've delivered over the last five years.  Those posts and those witnesses only barely scrape the surface of what has occurred in my life by God's love and mercy.  And, yes, that's why the book is in the works.  But, back to my request, I want your prayers.  I know and I'm 100% sure that the Holy Spirit is in charge and that He will provide me with the right things to say.  This is His gig, not mine.  I am also 100% sure that God uses the prayers of the faithful to work and move.  After all, we are family, co heirs with Christ and fellow laborers for His Kingdom.  So will you pray for me?  I know the answer, and I appreciate your willingness to support me.